Dragons RFC scrum half Gonzalo Bertranou impressed as Argentina secured an entertaining 39-27 bonus-point victory over Japan in their Rugby World Cup encounter in Nantes on Sunday.
The result means Los Pumas advance to the global showpiece’s quarter-finals as the runners-up in Pool D – behind table-toppers England – while the Brave Blossoms’ campaign has come to an end after finishing third in the group.
In a fast-paced and highly entertaining game, Argentina were full value for their win as they outscored Japan by five tries to three with Mateo Carreras leading the way for Los Pumas with a well-taken hat-trick.
Santiago Chocobares and Emiliano Boffelli scored the South Americans’ other tries and Boffelli finished with a 14-point haul after slotting three conversions and a penalty, while Nicolas Sanchez also succeeded with a conversion and a penalty.
For Japan, Amato Fakatava, Naoto Saito and Jone Naikabula crossed the whitewash while Rikiya Matsuda added three conversions and a penalty, and Lomano Lomeki slotted a drop goal.
Argentina now face Wales at Stade de Marseille in Marseille on Saturday (kick-off 4pm UK).
